Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed disappointment over the increase in the salaries of the members of Punjab Assembly.
In his tweet, he said that ” I am extremely disappointed by decision of Punjab Assembly to raise pays & privileges of MPAs, Ministers & Especially CM. Once prosperity returns to Pak such a move could be justified, but now, when we do not have resources to provide basic amenities to all our people, this is untenable.
The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday has taken a step by increasing the salaries, perks and privileges of the members to more than double after making legislation in record haste, within 24 hours of tabling the bill concerned. The unanimously-passed legislation was tabled as a private bill.
The bill ended up as a unanimous bill since none of the members opposed it from both sides, except PPP’s parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza. It was unanimously passed after a standing committee also gave its approval within a few minutes of discussion.
After this legislation, the Punjab chief minister will draw Rs 350,000 per month, while members will draw over 200,000 per month as their basic pay and allowances rose to more than double. The salaries of the members of the Punjab Assembly and ministers raised by the provincial assembly exceed the pays of their counterparts in all the provinces and at the federal level.
